inclination

American  

[in-kluh-ney-shuhn] / ˌɪn kləˈneɪ ʃən /

noun

1. a disposition or bent, especially of the mind or will; a liking or preference.

   Much against his inclination, he was forced to resign.

   Synonyms:

   penchant, predisposition, predilection, proclivity, propensity, tendency, leaning

   Antonyms:

   dislike

2. something to which one is inclined.

   In sports his inclination is tennis.

3. the act of inclining; state of being inclined.

4. a tendency toward a certain condition, action, etc..

   the door's inclination to stick.

5. deviation or amount of deviation from a normal, especially horizontal or vertical, direction or position.

   Synonyms:

   pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

6. an inclined surface.

   Synonyms:

   ramp, pitch, grade, fall, rise, slant, slope

7. Geometry.

   1. the angle between two lines or two planes.

   2. the angle formed by the x-axis and a given line.

8. Astronomy.

   1. the angle between the orbital plane of a planet and another given plane, usually the ecliptic.

   2. the angle between the equatorial and orbital planes of a planet.

9. Magnetism. dip.

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inclination British  

/ ˌɪnklɪˈneɪʃən /

noun

1. a particular disposition, esp a liking or preference; tendency

   I've no inclination for such dull work

2. the degree of deviation from a particular plane, esp a horizontal or vertical plane

3. a sloping or slanting surface; incline

4. the act of inclining or the state of being inclined

5. the act of bowing or nodding the head

6. maths

   1. the angle between a line on a graph and the positive limb of the x- axis

   2. the smaller dihedral angle between one plane and another

7. astronomy the angle between the plane of the orbit of a planet or comet and another plane, usually that of the ecliptic

8. physics another name for dip

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inclination Scientific  

/ ĭn′klə-nā′shən /

1. A deviation or the degree of deviation from the horizontal or vertical.

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Other Word Forms

• inclinational
  adjective
• noninclination
  noun
• noninclinational
  adjective
• overinclination
  noun
• superinclination
  noun

Etymology

Origin of inclination

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English inclinacioun, from Latin inclīnātiōn-, stem of inclīnātiō, from inclīnāt(us) “caused to bend” (past participle of inclīnāre “to cause to bend”; see incline) + -iō -ion

Explanation

You can see the word "incline" inside inclination, which clues you in to the fact that inclination has to do with leaning. Sometimes the inclination is literal; in most cases it's about what you incline toward in a figurative sense. An inclination is something you are leaning toward, a tendency you have. You could have a specific inclination for chocolate, or you could have an inclination that applies to a decision you are about to make: "Looking at this dessert menu, my inclination is to skip everything and just go home and have a chocolate bar."

Example Sentences

Participants completed the Football Supporters Fanaticism Scale, a 13-item questionnaire measuring two aspects of fandom: "Inclination to Violence" and "Sense of Belongingness."

From Science Daily • Nov. 11, 2025

Inclination leads him to history, philosophy, and literature, not polemic.

From The New Yorker • Jul. 20, 2015

Her first fiction, The Greater Inclination appeared in 1899.

From Time Magazine Archive

“Natural talent is a questionable phenomenon. Inclination perhaps, but innate ability is extremely rare.”

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

There is a frequent Thirst, and sometimes an Inclination to vomit; which imposing on the ignorant Assistants, have often inclined them to give the Patient a Vomit, which is mortal, especially at this Juncture.

From Advice to the people in general, with regard to their health by Tissot, S. A. D. (Samuel Auguste David)

Related Words

• affection
• appetite
• aptitude
• bias
• capability
• desire
• disposition
• impulse
• leaning
• penchant
• predilection
• predisposition
• preference
• prejudice
• proclivity
• propensity
• temperament